So these are just initial impressions. I played only aramusha but vsed a lot of shaman today.
So I REALLY enjoy playing as Aramusha maybe in part it's because I enjoy the berzerker and want to enjoy playing kensei. He just feels like a medium between the 2.
At my skill level currently people don't turtle up too often so I don't really struggle to get it too much. But I did fight 2 turtles for sure. One was a centurion and the other was a shugoki.

It pains me to say it but he just can't do anything against turtles. His entire kit is about baiting and countering. Which doesn't really work when someone can sit there and just block forever. He's got a few unblockables. But 2 of them are gotten from all block. And one is tied behind a hefty stamina cost from zone. Against centurion I feel like you stand a chance if you stay on your heals. But I think goki is absolutely a bad match up for him. Something that annoyed me in particular about him is the fact that you can be GBed mid opening light. That really shouldn't be a thing. Being GBed mid attack shouldn't exist for anyone and I truly hope along side the parry changes this is also changed.

A lot of people seem miffed about him not getting a heavy off of a GB. I personally don't think it's a problem. His all block is his main counter tool with a different action depending on what works best for your situation. Ring the bell for out in the open. Kick if a ledge is near by or a surface to splat on. Top heavy and side unblockable depending on the attack you counter. Gb exists to be used for positioning (which imo is what GB should always be used for) or to start your combo. and parry for OOS punish/GB for positioning. I wouldn't be against them allowing him to get a heavy from GB. But I don't personally think it makes him bad for not having it.

Really though what makes me like him the most is just how good you feel when everything comes together and you land a string and chop people down quickly. It doesn't happen too often. But getting into someones head and watching them crumble is just the sweetest thing to experience in a duel. And nothing quite rings that bell like this new hero. Anyway later today i'm going to do some testing with both heros on some specific things and spend most of the day on shaman to create another thread about her. Still have yet to decide who I want to do a guide on.

But lastly I just want to say that I love shaman's kit. From using her in practice for an hour or so she feels great. VSing her though is up in the air. Her short range and costly stamina moves balances her some what. But what kills me honestly is just the damage on her. I think nearly all of her damage should be toned down. Suprisingly enough I almost never struggled to dodge her pounce. Sometimes I was even able to hit her out of it. Only thing is though is that you have to be in some what of a sweet spot range wise. if you're practically hugging her I don't think it's physically possible to dodge the pounce.

But if you have some distance you dodge late and it works everytime. If you're almost within hugging distance dodging basically on reaction works. Her leaping heavy though you have to dodge early on. In other words you need to know it's coming. She is absolutely readable. For the most part I feel like she just needs some numbers tuning. Her damage should go down some. and she should have longer recovery on some things as well. But not overboard on her. The most annoying time I had with her was someone who played passively with her. But that's really just an issue with the game as a whole.

That is all. Thanks for reading.

CandleInTheDark

11-15-2017, 02:01 PM

One thing to note with the Shaman in terms of 4v4 is they can be hit out of the bite attack, whether by an ally or enemy, so there is no double dip in terms of damage at least while in the bite motion (I can't speak for between the finish and them getting up, so far I have either finished it or my own teammate has knocked me off).

If I am not mistaken, unlike the Eagle Talon, you can't get two in a row either, I think the bite takes the opponent out of bleed damage, at least any time I have followed it up, I have gotten the regular pounce, it could also be that I didn't get the first one in enough time.

Knight_Raime

11-15-2017, 09:58 PM

One thing to note with the Shaman in terms of 4v4 is they can be hit out of the bite attack, whether by anally or enemy, so there is no double dip in terms of damage at least while in the bite motion (I can't speak for between the finish and them getting up, so far I have either finished it or my own teammate has knocked me off).

If I am not mistaken, unlike the Eagle Talon, you can't get two in a row either, I think the bite takes the opponent out of bleed damage, at least any time I have followed it up, I have gotten the regular pounce, it could also be that I didn't get the first one in enough time.

I heard about that being in the case of 4v4 so it's nice for confirmation.
as for your second part yes. Bite removes the bleed on someone. So you can't bite bite.